What a Turkey!
by Cokie316
Summary: Steve gets to "meet the parents".
1. Chapter 1

_**What a Turkey! **_

_**By Cokie**_

_**I had hoped to have this short story completed by Thanksgiving but work conspired against me and it isn't finished. So… I decided to send it anyway and finalize it next week. I hope this may bring a smile or a laugh to your holiday. Happy Thanksgiving to those in the U.S. and a Happy Rest-of-the-Week to those of you in the rest of the world.**_

_**Thanks to Sym and Sockie for their wonderful beta work and their patience when I send something to them at the very last minute. Which I do. All the time. They both have to be saints!**_

_**Hope you enjoy!**_

_**~~~H50~~~**_

_**What a Turkey!**_

"_Well, I did it."_

"_You didn't?" Freddie shot back. "Dog, you're such a wuss. Maybe we should have named you 'Weenie'."_

"_Shut up. I had to… I can't go through with it," Steve told his friend, the panic still evident in his voice._

"_Whatever. It's just dinner with the parents."_

"_No, it isn't. Cath wants me there for almost the entire week of Thanksgiving. What if her dad hates me? I mean… he's a captain. I don't want him to hate me."_

"_How'd Catherine take this decision of yours?"_

"_Uh, well, OK, I guess. I mean, I told her the truth… that I am on the duty roster. She can't really be mad about it."_

"_If you say so, man. I hope you didn't just shoot yourself in the foot. I mean, come on McGarrett. You've got a gorgeous girl, she is really into you and asked you to meet her parents. I mean, that's something special. And you go and blow it."_

"_No, I didn't… she understands. Right? We'll be OK," Steve vowed._

_Freddie shrugged and smirked at his friend. "If you say so, Dog. Just keep telling yourself that."_

"_McGarrett! My office, A.S.A.P." Lt. Commander White bellowed through the mess hall before disappearing once again. _

"_Somebody's not happy…" Freddie muttered __under __his breath. "Good luck, Pal. Nice knowing you."_

"_Shut up," Steve whispered back while jumping up from the table. He raced out of the room and knocked on the commander's door._

"_Enter."_

"_Commander, Sir." Steve stood at attention in front of the desk while White glared at him. The commander leaned back in his chair, keeping Steve at attention._

"_Just saw your name on the duty roster for Thanksgiving week. I commend you for signing up for the extra duty considering that was a week you had off. It shows initiative that we expect from a newly-appointed JG."_

"_Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."_

"_I am a little confused though…" White trailed off, shaking his head. "As to why I just received a call from a Navy captain saying his little girl is heartbroken because her 'bad ass SEAL boyfriend' can't come to Thanksgiving dinner. Would you care to explain that to me, Boy?"_

"_I-uh- well, Sir…"_

"_Spit it out, McGarrett. And this better be good."_

"_I thought it would be good, Sir, to take on the extra duty. I wouldn't be going home for Thanksgiving and wanted to give some of the other guys a chance to go home to be with their families."_

"_That's very commendable, Lieutenant, but did you or did you not agree to go to Chicago and meet the Rollins family."_

"_Yes, Sir," was muttered very quietly._

"_I didn't catch that, Lieutenant," White barked._

"_Yes, Sir, I did, Sir, but I thought-"_

"_You thought? Did you __**think**__ that I like getting calls from a Captain?_

"_No, Sir, I didn't know…"_

"_That's right. You didn't know." White sat forward, elbows on his desk. "Let me tell you something else you didn't know. You __**will**__ be going to Chicago over Thanksgiving and you __**will**__ make that little girl happy. Because, Lieutenant, a happy girl makes for a happy captain who happens to be her daddy. Do you understand me?"_

"_Yes, Sir."_

"_Very well. You will call up that little girl and tell her that all of a sudden your week is clear and you just can't wait to attend Thanksgiving dinner with her family. And she doesn't need to know any of this conversation, is that understood?"_

"_Yes, Sir. Ah, thank you, Sir."_

"_You're dismissed. And you're lucky this was fixable. Because I can't tell you how ugly an unhappy captain can be."_

"_Thank you, Sir."_

_Steve did an about face and left the office as quickly as possible, not seeing White's smile as he picked up his phone._

"_James, its Joe White. You were right… McGarrett's scared shitless to come to your house. Put himself on the duty roster." He waited a beat and then grinned again. "I do hope you will ensure his time in Chicago will be memorable." White laughed and added, "I can hardly wait to hear the details. Enjoy your holiday, Sir."_

~~~H50~~~

Danny nearly cackled with glee upon hearing the tale which was leading up to Steve's first meeting with Catherine's parents. He turned to her and asked, "Did you know any of that? Steve, your friend was right… you _**are **_a wuss."

Steve showed them a sly grin while shaking his head.

"I didn't know it then," Cath filled him in. "But I found out when we got to my house."

"Wait a minute, you did not!" Steve argued.

"Oh, yes, I did, too!" she exclaimed. "Remember when Daddy took you upstairs to show you your room? Mom and I were in the kitchen and she told me all about your little plan to weasel out of a visit."

"You never told me that."

"Well, we decided to let you squirm a little bit."

"Thanks for that. Your dad scared the piss outta me."

"Come on… give me more story," Danny ordered while reaching for his beer. "This is good. I love laughing at your expense."

"I just bet you do," Steve shot back. But after another drink, he set his Longboard back onto the table and continued…

~~~H50~~~

_Catherine and Steve got out of the cab and he stared at the two-story, white colonial house with three window turrets on the upper floor. He swallowed nervously while retrieving their luggage and paying the tab. They had flown into Chicago listed as standby on military transport and hadn't had an exact time to let Cath's parents know when to meet them._

_Standing in front of the impressive house, Steve wished fervently that this was over. And he had already met them. And that Thanksgiving was over. He licked his lips just as Catherine turned to grin at him._

"_Cold feet?" she asked in a teasing manner._

"_Who me? Course not," he lied through his teeth, hoisting both of their duffels onto his shoulder and following her up the three steps to the massive front porch. Catherine reached for the door knob when the door flew open with a shriek._

_Steve was startled, but soon realized the shriek didn't come from the door, but rather the diminutive woman standing before them._

"_Momma!" Catherine grabbed the older version of herself while Mrs. Rollins wrapped both arms around her only daughter's neck and hugged her back. Steve stood back and watched the two of them, seeing tears in Cath's mother's face. He felt a pang of longing as the thought raced through his head that no one other than Catherine had ever greeted him like that._

_Catherine released her mom and turned toward Steve, reaching for his hand. "Momma, this is Steve. Steve, my mom."  
_

"_Mrs. Rollins," he politely said, dropping the duffels and holding out his hand to shake her smaller one. But that action was for naught. He was surprisingly pulled into a hug and not knowing what to do with his hands, he hugged her back. _

_Catherine grinned. "Mom's a hugger."_

_Steve pulled back and smiled at Catherine's mom. "I can see that."_

_She smiled as well and looked him up and down. "Welcome, Steven. It is an honor to have you in our home." She motioned them inside. "Come on in," she said, then called in a louder voice. "James, get out here. Your daughter's home."_

"_Mom," Catherine said in embarrassment, but quickly moved to the office door when her father opened it. "Hi, Daddy!"_

"_Hello, Sweetie," the tall, distinguished Navy captain said, his love for his daughter evident in his smile. And his hug. Steve thought with a rush of panic: 'please don't hug me'. _

_Not to worry. _

_Catherine dragged her father with her and made introductions. "Daddy, this is Lieutenant Steve McGarrett. Steve, my dad, James Rollins."_

_Steve extended his hand. "Captain, Sir. It's a pleasure to meet you."_

_Rollins sized him up, making him feel he was a tadpole in his first roll call before finally, seemingly begrudgingly, extending his own hand. The man had a firm grip, bordering on painful as he looked into Steve's eyes._

_Steve didn't waiver but would have liked nothing more than to grab his duffel and rush headlong down the driveway. This was going to be a long week._

_And he wished more than anything that he was once again on the duty roster back on base._

"_Oh, James, let the boy go," Mrs. Rollins exclaimed. "Let's get you two settled. It is __**so**__ good to have you here," she said. "Catherine, why don't __you __show Steve to his room and if you want, you all can change out of those uniforms. I'll get things going for dinner. I wasn't sure what time you would be here, so things are still in the planning stages. Are you hungry, Steve?" she asked, her smile reaching her eyes as she watched him._

"_Yes, ma'am. Always," he grinned back._

_Catherine reached for her bag when her father brushed her off. "I'll take your bag and I'll show your friend to his room," he told her. "You go on and start catching up with your mother."_

"_OK, Daddy. Steve, come back to the kitchen after you change clothes, all right?"_

_He smiled at her. Or it could have been a grimace. He wasn't sure. But he grabbed his bag and dutifully followed her father up the broad staircase in the center of the foyer._

_Rooms on the upper floor were around the perimeter of the house with the open railing along the hallway. At the top of the stairs, Captain Rollins turned left and stopped at the first door along the left-hand wall. Opening the door, he motioned Steve inside. "Here's the guest room so you can drop your gear. Then I'll give you a quick tour."_

_Steve dropped his duffel at the end of the bed and glanced around the room. Nice. Warm. Homey, but not feminine. Attached bath which was nice. He turned and nodded to the captain. "Thank you, Sir."_

_Catherine's father stood back so that Steve could join him in the hallway. He pointed down the hall beyond Steve's door. "Our two sons' rooms. They will be home later in the week." He did an about face and ordered, "Follow me." _

_He pointed to the opened doorway on the north side of the house. "My wife's and my room," he said, continuing to walk. "Sorry about the squeaky floor," he commented as they moved past. Next was a closed door which was at the head of the stairs. "This is my wife's sewing room or craft room, or whatever-the-hell she does in there. I don't ask." Steve saw that the captain almost cracked a smile, but managed to stifle it at the last second. No chinks in the armor._

_Steve started to make a comment but the man didn't stop moving. "Another guest room," he pointed to the right side before turning once again to the west side of the house. He opened the next closed door and set down Catherine's duffel bag then stood aside for Steve to see. "This is Catherine's room."_

_Steve saw pink. He never associated pink with Catherine, but everything in there was pink. Walls, carpet, bedspread. Everything. It took him by surprise._

_But the captain's next question really sent him for a loop. _

"_What's your shoe size?" _

"_Sir?"_

"_You heard me. What size."_

"_Ten-and-a-half. May I ask why?" _

_Rollins pointed to the plush pink rug. "Because I better not see any ten-and-a-half shoe imprints on my daughter's carpet. You understand me?"_

_Steve swallowed. "Uh, yes, Sir." _

_The captain pointed to the opposite corner of the house. "Your room is in that corner. And remember what I said about the squeaky floor? Let me add that I'm a very light sleeper. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"_

"_Crystal, Sir."_

"_Good. Now get out of those utilities and come on down stairs." He closed Catherine's bedroom door before doing another about face and moving toward the steps. Steve followed at a slower pace, heading toward his designated bedroom. _

_The squeaky floorboard mocked him as he walked by. _

_~~~H50~~~_

"One question," Danny said, raising his hand. "Did you survive the week without bloodshed?"

Steve grinned and looked at Catherine. "We aren't far enough into the story to tell you that."

She laughed, nudging him with her bare foot. "Danny, by the end of the weekend, we all looked like we'd been in a combat zone."

"This is getting better and better," Danny replied. "But I think we need more beer."

"Let's start the grill and I'll finish the story while we eat." Steve said.

"Deal. I've got more beer in the car."

Catherine stood up and stretched. "I'll get the meat and clean the vegetables while you start the grill." She stopped by Steve's chair and leaned down to give him a kiss. Before she knew it, she was in his lap and the kiss deepened.

Danny glanced back at them as he went around the side of the house. "Hey, you two, knock it off. Light the grill, Steven and leave the girl alone."

Steve grinned at her before giving her another kiss. "He's just no fun at all," he complained.

Soon they were enjoying their steaks, salad, grilled vegetables and beer. It had been a long week but they had knocked off a bit early on this Friday night before Thanksgiving week. Chin had been anxious to bolt out the door and, although he would neither confirm nor deny, they suspected a hot date with Leilani. All the answer they got from him was a sly grin as he waved goodbye.

Danny wasn't seeing Grace until the following morning so he had invited Steve and Catherine to go out with him, but they had altered the plans to kick back and wind down at home. Which was a treat after their non-stop week.

"OK, let's go back to Chicago, for Thanksgiving 2000," Danny requested. "I want to hear more of this story."

"It was fun," Catherine quickly replied, looking to Steve for confirmation.

"Might have been _**fun**_ for you," Steve complained. "They were your parents…"

_Dinner that night wasn't what Steve would term as __**horrible**__ although he felt like he was in the spotlight. A place he had never enjoyed being._

_Most of the conversation was between Catherine and her mother, although her mom would fire off questions to Steve wanting to get to know him. One question had been "What did your family do for Thanksgiving in Hawaii?"_

_Steve hesitated a moment and then said he hadn't lived in Hawaii since he was 16 but when he was younger, they would get up on Thanksgiving morning and go surfing and spend some time watching football during the day. That was a bit different from the cold Chicago winter. _

_Captain Rollins snorted. "Around here, we might catch a good ball game on TV, but __**we**__ are outside __**playing**__ football, not watching it all day. Think you can keep up with the Rollins clan in a game?"_

_The gauntlet had been thrown._

_Steve seemed to give the question some thought. "I think I can hold my own. Who plays?"_

_Mrs. Rollins replied, "Our boys will be home on Wednesday. Bryan is flying in from school in Atlanta and Michael, his wife, Karen and their baby girl Betsy are coming from Nashville. And we can't wait to get our hands on her again!"_

"_Me, too," Catherine agreed. "I've only seen her once and she will soon be a year old."_

"_But in answer to your question," the captain added, "The boys, Catherine and I play. Sometimes Karen gets out there, but with the baby that may be difficult. If my brother and his family show up, we'll have another couple of players. But I need to warn you, we play for real."_

"_And bragging rights," Cath added. "But it's fun." She looked at Steve and smiled. "You'll fit right in." __**She **__knew Steve could play football but she had no intention of letting her family in on that little fact!_

"_So, what do you two have planned for tomorrow?" her mom asked. "Your father and I are going to the grocery for last minute Thanksgiving items." She smiled at her husband. "I love it when you get time off for Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday."_

"_And shopping is my favorite pastime," he muttered, just loud enough for them to hear. "Maybe this year Catherine and Steve could shop for you."_

"_Nonsense. You know I have to pick out my own vegetables. Besides, they are here on leave and need to have some fun. Any plans, Cath?"_

_Catherine looked at Steve. "Well, we haven't talked about it, but I thought maybe we could go into the city and wander around. The ice rink is open and we could skate."_

"_Skate?" Steve clarified, a frown on his face._

"_Yeah, ice skating. I thought it would be fun to be outdoors. We'll just have to dress appropriately. Why? Doesn't that sound like fun?"_

_Steve shrugged. "Sure, we can skate."_

_Catherine stood up. "Come on, help me with the dishes and then we can take a walk. I want to show you the park where I used to climb trees."_

_Steve stood up as well. "Mrs. Rollins, dinner was wonderful. Thank you so much."_

"_You are most welcome, Steven. I'm so glad you came home with Catherine."_

_Steve swore he heard another grunt coming from the captain._

_~~~H50~~~_

_They came back in the back door around 8:30 that evening, shaking the snow from their hair while stomping their feet on the utility rug. "It's cold out there!" Steve exclaimed._

"_Yeah, I can't wait to get in a hot shower," Cath replied. "But I love the cold."_

"_Yeah, it is nice," Steve agreed. "Never been around snow all that much, but I like it."_

_Catherine's father came into the kitchen. "Looks like the snow is picking up."_

"_Yeah, don't know if it will stick or not," Cath agreed._

"_I overheard that you're taking a shower," he glanced at Catherine before looking at Steve. "How about you and I have a talk in my study?"_

_Steve gave Cath a quick 'deer in the headlights' look before gulping and saying, "Sure, Sir. Sounds great."_

_He could still lie with the best of them._

_Catherine took his hand as they walked toward the front of the house. "Stop worrying," she mouthed to him behind her father's back. When they reached the stairs, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "See you later, Sailor," she told him with a grin and raised eyebrows._

_Steve quickly shook his head and followed her father into the study… or to the slaughter, whichever the case may be._

_The captain closed the door behind Steve and moved to the sideboard in the room. "Do you know what bourbon is?" he asked, then turned around and pointed toward one of the two chairs near the fireplace. "Have a seat."_

"_Uh, thank you, Sir," Steve said and slowly sat. "Bourbon? It's whiskey, right?"_

"_You're correct. All bourbon is whiskey, but all whiskey isn't bourbon." He held up a bottle nearly full of amber liquid and poured two shots. He handed one glass to Steve and said, "Tell me what you think." _

_Steve looked into the glass before tipping it for a drink. He was careful not to make a face as the fire went down. "Pretty potent, isn't it?" he asked with a slight grin._

"_Some of the best ever made," the captain said, downing his glass. "Good bourbon is from Kentucky, and in my opinion, this is the best of the best. Makers Mark. Enjoy it," he said, nodding to Steve's glass._

_Steve looked around the room, seeing photos on the wall, both family and Navy pictures. Many of them showed a younger Catherine dressed in a pink tutu wearing ice skates. Most of them showed her holding either ribbons or trophies. His gaze caught the captain's attention and he motioned for Steve to join him on the far side of the room._

"_These are most of her awards. She began skating when she was three. As you can see, Catherine was a champion ice skater."_

_Steve nodded. "And she wants to take me skating tomorrow. I see where this is headed."_

"_What is that?" her father asked._

_Steve smiled. "It will be a competition. She will want to see if she can best me at skating."_

"_You think my daughter is that competitive?"_

_Steve took another sip of his bourbon, watching her father over the top of the glass. "Sir, your daughter would fight over something to the bitter end. In any competition."_

_The captain refilled his glass and they sat in the chairs in front of the lit fireplace, her father finally smiling. "She got that from her mother," he replied. "The boys were both into hockey and Catherine wanted to follow in their footsteps. Liz put her foot down and the closest Cath got to a hockey game was to figure skate. But she was good at it."_

"_Catherine is good at everything she does," Steve told her father. _

"_Captain Rollins nodded. "Yes, she is. _

_Steve wondered where this conversation was headed. While he felt a little less threatened, he wasn't sure if he could relax in this man's presence. Ever._

"_I understand your family and Joe White go way back," the captain began._

_Steve nodded. "Yes, Sir. My father and the Commander served together and they have remained good friends through the years. From the time I was at Annapolis, the Commander has kept tabs on me."_

"_Joe's a good man."_

"_Yes, Sir, he is." Steve had no clue what he was expected to say._

"_He thinks very highly of you."_

_He was not expecting to hear those words. Especially coming from a Navy Captain whom he had just met._

"_Ah, thank you. That's good to know, Sir."_

"_OK, let me be honest, McGarrett. I've done some checking up on you. And, admittedly, I like what I see. You're a fine Navy man and are well on your way to becoming a good SEAL. I commend you for that." _

_Steve looked down at his near empty glass. "Thank you," he mumbled, expecting the other shoe to fall. _

_And it did._

"_But…" the captain added, pointing his finger in Steve's direction, "As a father, I have the right to find fault with any man my daughter brings home for review."_

"_Review, Sir?"_

"_She couldn't wait for her mother to meet you. Me… not so much. I have been fussed at by those two for weeks, warning me that I have to 'play nice'. I don't like to__'play nice' where my daughter is concerned. There isn't a man on this planet who is good enough for her."_

"_Point taken, Sir."_

"_So, do you want to pack your bags and leave?"_

_Steve finished his drink and met the captain's gaze. Slowly he shook his head. "No, Sir. I have a skating competition tomorrow. Besides, your wife is an excellent cook. I'd hate to miss out on Thanksgiving Dinner."_

_Rollins nodded and offered his first real smile of the evening. "Well played, Lieutenant. Well played." He raised his glass as a toast before finishing his drink. __"__Now, you probably want to get your own shower, so I'll dismiss you."_

_Steve stood and placed the glass on the sidebar. "Thank you for the drink, Sir."_

"_You're welcome. Just one more thing. You do remember the way to your bedroom, don't you?"_

_Steve grinned, but stood his ground. "I think I can find it. Good night, Sir. See you tomorrow."_

"_Good luck with skating."_

"_Yeah, thanks… I think. Good luck with shopping. Want to trade places?"_

"_Not on your life, Lieutenant. You're on your own."_

_~~~H50~~~_

_All was quiet upstairs as everyone had been in bed for nearly an hour. After his shower, Steve fell onto the queen-sized bed and was changing channels on the TV. He thought back over the day and realized it wasn't what he had expected, but in the end hadn't turned out nearly as bad as he had predicted. At least Catherine's father had mellowed a bit in the last couple of hours. _

_There was a soft knock at his door and he turned around, a look of horror on his face…_

_Captain Rollins heard the squeak of the floorboards outside their bedroom. The noise was loud, even with the sound of the Late, Late Show playing in their room. He slammed his book shut and threw back his covers._

"_That boy played me," he muttered. "But I will show him a thing or two!"_

_Mrs. Rollins calmly reached over and grabbed the collar of his pajamas. "Get back in bed, James. You're not going anywhere."_

"_I most certainly—"_

"_Jimmy, didn't you notice the direction of the squeaks? Steve wasn't headed for your little girl's bedroom. __**She**__ went to his."_

"_She wouldn't," he spluttered. "Not Catherine."_

"_James, you have to face it. You're little girl is grown up. And you need to use your eyes and watch how she looks at that fine, young man. I think there might be a future there."_

_The shell-shocked captain slowly climbed back into bed. "Doesn't anyone have any respect anymore? I don't want to know what's going on, do I?"_

"_No, dear, you don't."_

_A moment later, a door slammed and in addition to the squeak in the hall, they heard stomping before the footsteps stopped at their door. _

"_Thanks a lot, Daddy!" _

_A slow smile came over Captain Rollins' face. "Joe White was right. This kid will make something of himself."_

_~~~H50~~~_

_Catherine pulled her mother's SUV into the driveway and drove around to the back of the house where her father was busy brushing the dusting of snow off the deck. Steve slowly got out of the passenger side of the vehicle and leaned against the door for a moment before stepping away from the car._

_The captain walked toward them. "How was skating?"_

"_I don't think Steve likes it much," Catherine commented, still not happy with her father after the night before when Steve had kissed her then promptly told her to leave. That was __**not**__ the way she had foreseen the night._

"_I was taken down by a three year old," Steve said as he limped toward the house._

"_It was amazing," Cath continued. "We must not have been going fast enough for her because suddenly she flew right between Steve's legs.* He was doing really good until then, but he sort of landed right on his six. With me on top of him." _

"_My bruises have bruises, Sir," Steve muttered while walking up the steps. _

"_Sure hope that doesn't hinder your *A* Game of football on Thursday," her dad remarked._

"_I'll recover before then. I'll be good to go after a hot shower."_

"_I'll change and help mom with dinner," Cath told him. "Want some help getting upstairs?" she asked with a grin._

_Steve glared at her. "I think I can manage." But on the second step up, he wished the house had an elevator. And he had fourteen more steps to go. _

_~~~H50~~~_

_Thanksgiving Day dawned with a bright sun, albeit very cold temperatures. Captain Rollins headed to the airport after an early breakfast to pick up the rest of his family. Steve and Catherine had found themselves on the "duty roster" by the "boss", and Steve found himself peeling potatoes, wondering just how many potatoes this family could eat in one meal. That was before he learned of the "leftover rule" where you had to have enough food for at least three meals. Tomorrow the leftover potatoes would be turned into potato cakes to eat with their turkey sandwiches._

_Their work was interrupted a couple hours later when the family made it home. Steve stood back, leaning on the kitchen cabinet and watching the boys greet Catherine and their mom. Mrs. Rollins had barely given both sons and her daughter-in-law pecks on the cheeks before she zeroed in on her granddaughter, Betsy who was carried in by her grandfather. Catherine dragged her brothers over to meet Steve._

"_Bryan, Michael, this is Steve." She looped her arm through Steve's. "Steve, these are my older brothers. Don't believe anything they say about me."_

"_And vice versa," Bryan said. "Don't believe what she says about us. We're the nice guys."_

_Steve held out his hand. "I'll remember that."_

_Michael said, "That's my wife Karen, and that's Betsy but I doubt you'll get a chance to even see her with mom and dad both catering to her every whim."_

_Steve grinned. "Not a problem. I'm not too good with kids."_

"_Dad said you want to try your hand at some Rollins' football after we eat this afternoon," Bryan said. "I have to tell you, we're good."_

"_Duly noted," Steve said. _

"_Hey, you don't play football for the Navy__,__ do you?" Michael asked. "I mean, that sounds like something Cath would pull."_

_Steve held up his hand and gave an oath, "I swear I have never played football for the Navy."_

"_Good. __Then __we can take you. Tell you what, we'll be generous. The two of us against you, Cath and Dad. And twenty says we'll win."_

"_No gambling on football," they heard their mother's voice above the rest of the noise in the kitchen._

_~~~H50~~~_

_The Thanksgiving meal was scheduled for 1 p.m. and it was ready right on the dot. After the bird was carved and the sides were passed, there was hardly any conversation other than "pass more potatoes, please." Steve understood why he had peeled a ten-pound bag. Even little Betsy was at the table, sharing her first Thanksgiving and learning that she also __**loved**__ her Nana's mashed potatoes._

_Thirty minutes later, everyone was stuffed and the bowls had taken quite a hit._

"_Steve, would you like more yams?" Mrs. Rollins asked._

_He shook his head. "I don't think I can eat another bite," he told her, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm going to have to run extra when I get back."_

"_We can go out in the morning," Catherine told him. "We should have done that today."_

"_Not today," her mother said. "I would have lost my potato peeler!"_

"_You'll get exercise in an hour or so," Captain Rollins said. "We're still playing ball."_

"_If we can move by then," Michael remarked. "Anyone ready for a nap?"_

"_Don't be a wuss," Bryan told him. "Steve will think he can beat us."_

"_That's not going to happen," Michael assuredly told them. __"__He's got Cath and Dad on his team."_

"_And we're chopped liver?" Catherine asked, her fist on her hip._

"_No, but you're a girl. And Dad's… well, Dad's… older."_

"_Another twenty says we win," the captain said. "Especially after that remark."_

"_I have a better bet," Mrs. Rollins said. "Losers clean the kitchen."_

"_You're on," Michael said with a laugh. _

"_And it won't be us doing the cleaning," Bryan added._

_They wished._

_The two boys soon learned that Steve was mighty quick on his feet and along with Catherine and their dad, ran excellent plays. The two of them had eaten more dirt than anticipated and they were also in trouble for tackling their own father, causing him to fumble the ball. Steve had quickly realized that this family certainly played for blood during the game. He had managed to intercept the brothers' last pass, costing them six points and the trash talk had escalated. The game was tied fourteen to fourteen and Steve's team had the ball. _

"_We faked them with the last pass," Steve whispered. "Think we can do it again?"_

_Catherine glanced at her brothers who were jumping around, confident they were going to bring this team down. "They are morons."_

"_Knowing them, they will expect you to pull off the same play," the captain muttered. "How about if Catherine runs along the side and you make motions like you're going to pop it to me, then at the last second send it her direction? Maybe I can keep them busy and she can get the touchdown."_

_Steve looked at the boys who were impatiently waiting for them to end the huddle, and the jeers and catcalls were getting worse. "That could work. That is __**if**__ they let me throw the ball. I see fire in their eyes."_

"_They'll get over it while they're washing dishes," the captain said. "Let's do this." They bumped fists and separated with cheers._

_Steve was in possession and watched Bryan and Michael ready to strike. He kept his attention on the captain and Michael moved closer to his dad while Bryan targeted Steve, allowing Catherine some room to maneuver._

_Steve kept his eyes on Captain Rollins, then turned slightly, preparing to send the ball in Catherine's direction. Both boys rushed and he watched them coming at him head-long just as the ball left his fingers._

_He went down in a heap, the air rushing from his lungs when both brothers jumped on top of him. He didn't breathe; couldn't see anything but stars and smelled two sweaty bodies on top of him. With a growl and the use of his muscle and elbows, both brothers went flying. Steve blinked as he tried to get his bearings and heave in a breath of fresh air. Two worried faces popped into his line of vision._

"_Hey, man, you OK?" Bryan asked._

_Steve nodded and shook his head, reaching his hand up to feel his temple, where a knot was already forming. "Ow."_

"_Sorry, I think my watch got you. You're bleeding."_

"_S'OK," he said and sat up to see Catherine and her dad coming their direction. "Did we complete the pass?"_

"_Piece of cake," she bragged. "Touchdown. These morons were too busy tackling you to see what was going on. Hey, you're bleeding."_

"_I'm fine."_

"_Does anyone care that he tried to clock me?" Michael asked, holding his hand over his eye._

"_Not really," Cath admitted. "That was a stupid move."_

"_Sorry, did I get you with my elbow?" Steve asked._

"_Don't you apologize to him! He deserved it."_

_Captain Rollins reached down his hand to pull Steve upright. "Good game, McGarrett. I declare the game called with the score of twenty to fourteen. We win."_

"_Aw, come on, one more play," Bryan argued._

"_No, our quarterback is bleeding and I think your brother will have a beauty of a shiner tomorrow. Let's go inside. Besides, I believe the two of you have KP to tend to. And your CO inside will expect perfection, so it had better be done right the first time."_

"_OK, fess up, Steve. Where did you college play ball?" Michael asked. _

"_I didn't, but I was quarterback at Kukui High. And we took State."_

"_And you neglected to mention this?"_

"_Hey, you asked about playing for Navy," Steve argued, wrapping his arm around Catherine's shoulder as they walked toward the house. "No one ever asked about high school."_

"_Aw, look at that," Bryan started. "Our baby sister is dating the quarterback. Smoochy, smooch," he sing-songed._

"_Ooohh… Dad he's touching her, you gonna allow that?" Michael asked._

"_You two shut your pie holes and get inside. If you do a good job, maybe your mother will let you have dessert."_

"_Hey, there's dessert?" Steve asked._

"_Of course, silly," Catherine replied. "Pumpkin pie, real whipped cream, carrot cake and pecan pie."_

_He grinned at her. "Then why are we out here?"_

_~~~H50~~~_

"So you did come away bloody?" Danny asked.

"A little bit," Steve admitted.

"And bruised," Catherine added. "Michael had a beauty of a shiner, compliments of Steve and my Dad had a scratch across his nose from when Bryan tackled him."

"And you came out without a scratch?" Danny asked.

Steve laughed. "Yeah, she came out of the football game just fine." He reached out his arm and pulled her toward him. "But you should have seen her the next day. There was a bit of an accident," he said. "Danny, you won't believe what these people do the day after Thanksgiving."

"Well, don't keep me in suspense," he said.

"OK, this may be something you do in New Jersey, too," Steve began, "but it was totally new to me. They drove an hour… each way… to a tree farm in Indiana to pick out their own Christmas tree. On the day after Thanksgiving. Which was still a month before Christmas!"

"Yeah, some people did that in Jersey," Danny said. "But we always went to the tree stand in town. It's easier that way."

"You miss all the 'fun' by doing it that way," Cath argued. "And that was our tradition from as far back as I could remember. After picking out the tree, we would go inside for hot chocolate and cookies while they tied it to the top of the car. Besides," she pushed at Steve, "you had fun and don't tell me you didn't."

"Was that before or after the 'accident'?" Danny asked.

Steve laughed. "During. You see, it was like this… the tree sort of fell on Cath…"

… to be continued…

~~~H50~~~

And now for a Thanksgiving blessing: (author unknown)

May your stuffing be tasty  
May your turkey be plump,  
May your potatoes and gravy  
have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious  
and your pies take the prize,  
and may your Thanksgiving dinner  
_**stay off your thighs!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**What a Turkey, part 2 **_

_**By Cokie**_

_**Yes, I know. This has been one very long Thanksgiving weekend. And I wish I could use an excuse other than work, but unfortunately that is it. Way, way too much of it. But I hope you will still enjoy this silly, sappy, sugary chapter of the remainder of Steve and Catherine's first Thanksgiving weekend with her parents.**_

_**And please note that Sym took pity on me because I didn't have an image attached to this story. Be sure to check out what she put together. I love it! She knows what I need even before I do. :)**_

_**Continued from the previous chapter…**_

"You miss all the 'fun' by doing it that way," Cath argued. "And that was our tradition from as far back as I could remember. After picking out the tree, we would go inside for hot chocolate and cookies while they tied it to the top of the car. Besides," she pushed at Steve, "you had fun and don't tell me you didn't."

"Was that before or after the 'accident'?" Danny asked.

Steve laughed. "During. You see, it was like this… the tree sort of fell on Cath…"

~~~H50~~~

_**Friday morning**_, _**bright and early**_

"_OK, tell me again what we're doing?" Steve asked. He and Catherine were seated in the back of her dad's old pick-up, the worn shocks bouncing them along as he drove. Bryan rode up front beside Captain Rollins. Michael was driving his mom's minivan; his wife in the front seat and Mrs. Rollins in back with Betsy._

_Catherine looked at him with a death glare. "I've told you three times already. We're headed to Indiana to pick out a Christmas tree."_

"_And that is because you can't find a tree in all of Chicago?"_

"_Silly, we go to the farm and chop down our own tree." She added, "I told you that," emphasizing the words with her elbow into his ribs._

"_Ow! That's still sore from your big lummox brothers tackling me yesterday."_

"_Wuss," Bryan muttered from the front seat._

"_It was an unfair tackle," his dad argued. "Any ump would have put a flag on the play."_

"_Yeah, whatever. We didn't know we were playing against Kukui High's star player who still has some unbeaten stats."_

"_You didn't ask," Steve shot back. "And I saw no reason to supply that knowledge."_

"_Sounds like a hustler to me," Bryan muttered._

"_Sounds like a loser to me," Catherine shot back, then high-fived with Steve for her witty come back._

"_How far is this place anyway?" Steve asked again._

"_No complaints from back seat drivers," the captain said. "We aren't there yet. Understood?"_

"_Yes, sir."_

"_So, what kind of Christmas trees do you have in Hawaii?"_

"_Usually fake ones. By the time the real ones reach us by boat, they aren't in the best of shape," Steve replied. "But people go all out with lights and decorations and stuff."_

"_If you want to see decorations, just wait until tonight," Bryan said. "Mom sort of goes a little crazy about Christmas."_

_The captain turned on his right blinker. "Here we go. Now we're here. Satisfied?" he grumbled with a quick look and a grin into the rear mirror, meeting Steve's gaze. _

_Just for their benefit, Steve mumbled beneath his breath, "About damn time… whoever heard of traveling a hundred miles to buy a tree?"_

_His ribs received another dig for that remark._

~~~H50~~~

Catherine stood and stretched. "OK, I don't want to get any more grief over the fact that my family does Thanksgiving and the beginning of Christmas in the same weekend. I've already lived through and have heard this story in repeated tellings, so I'm going to go upstairs and take a long, hot bath." She leaned down and gave Steve a kiss on the forehead. "Carry on, gentlemen. Danny, good night and I hope you enjoy the story."

"I'm sure I will. G'night, Cath. You may continue with your tale, Steven."

Steve reached for another bottle. "In a moment. Story telling requires beer."

"Indeed it does," Danny agreed as they clinked their bottles together. "Carry on."

~~~H50~~~

_They all stood around THE tree, staring upward into its lofty branches high over their heads. Even Betsy was pondering the tree with the rest of the family._

"_This is definitely it!" Mrs. Rollins exclaimed in awe._

_Her husband turned to glare at her. "Lizzie, you do realize that our family room has a twelve foot ceiling, don't you?"_

"_Yes, of course I do," she answered. "That shouldn't be a problem."_

_He glared at her, both in amusement and consternation. "This tree is probably sixteen feet tall. That constitutes a problem in my book!"_

_Steve plopped onto his stomach beneath the tree, checking its 'undercarriage' then rolled over to peer through its branches. "Sir, if I can make a suggestion, these bottom branches could be cut off and discarded. Can you see the sort of crook in the trunk? If we cut the tree from here, it eliminates that curve, making the tree straighter. And if it is cut there, the tree is probably ten or eleven feet tall."_

"_And I can use the lower branches to decorate the rest of the house," Mrs. Rollins pointed out. "See, James, here's a boy who doesn't argue with me. He just solves the problem." She reached up and patted Steve on the cheek, mouthing 'thank you' to him."_

"_Ooh, now he's sucking up to Mom AND Dad, Cath. What do you think of that?"_

"_Bryan, can you act like an adult for more than two seconds at a time?" Catherine shot back._

"_Probably not," he admitted with a huge grin. "But it's just because you are so much fun to tease."_

"_Bite me," she retorted._

"_Catherine, don't let Betsy hear you talking like that," her mother scolded._

"_She's nine months old," Cath said, grinning at her sister in law. "If 'bite me' are her first words, I'll worry then."_

"_This cold is biting me," Karen said. "Betsy and I are going inside. Anyone else coming?"_

"_Me," Catherine replied. "I'm looking for the hot chocolate. Steve, how do you like your chocolate?"_

"_Truthfully?"_

"_Of course."_

"_Hot, black, and with no chocolate in it?"_

"_You want coffee?"_

"_Yes, please."_

"_So boring," she muttered, turning to catch up with her mom and sister in law to make the trek back to the barn._

"_Coffee for me, too," her dad yelled after her._

"_Do you think the tree will work?" Michael asked, once again looking at the massiveness of it._

"_I guess so," his dad grumbled. "It will take up half the damn room, but if it makes your mother happy, then this is the tree. You guys spot me and watch out for pedestrians. I'll start cutting." He climbed beneath the tree with his saw._

_Steve watched the angle of the saw blade and told Bryan, "You might want to come this way a bit or you'll get pummeled."_

_Bryan looked at the tree base and shook his head. "Nah, you need to move this way. That tree's headed your direction."_

_Steve shook his head. "No, I think you're wrong," he began._

"_Wanna bet?"_

_Steve made a face. "No, I don't want to bet on it, but if you know what's good for you, you'll move."_

"_Almost ready for a tim-ber," Captain Rollins yelled from beneath the tree. "You guys ready up there?"_

"_Yeah," Steve answered, making a motion for Bryan to move. _

_Michael came over to Steve's side and also told his brother to get out of the way, but Bryan was adamant that he was not in the tree's path._

"_What's taking so long?" _

_Steve heard Catherine's voice just as he heard her father say "Here she goes." He turned and saw that she stopped right next to Bryan. Steve yelled and ran in their direction, watching the tree begin to fall at the same time. He reached them and shoved Bryan aside with his right hand and tackling Cath in the same move. They traveled several feet, her hot chocolate flying through the air with them. Right before landing, Steve twisted so that he wouldn't land on her, praying she was out of the tree's path._

_They had almost… but not quite… made it._

_Branches had scraped across Catherine's face as they fell, but they had only grazed her. Had she not been catapulted through the air, she… and Bryan… would both have been directly in the tree's path. Which (a) could have hurt and (b) would have upset her mother for damage to HER tree._

_She opened her eyes and saw the tree inches from her face and then realized that her cheek was stinging. She and Steve were lying on the ground and everyone around them was shouting. First, she heard her father's voice, asking Bryan "what the hell he thought he was doing standing in the line of the tree?" _

_Second, she heard her mother shriek as she came to see what the ruckus was all about. She turned to see Steve and watched him touch his fingers to his lip, coming away with blood. "Oh, are you OK?" she asked. "Did you bite it?"_

_Steve shook his head and reached for her now-empty hot chocolate cup. The plastic spoon was on the ground next to it and it showed tell-tale signs of blood. "I think you stabbed me."_

"_Ah… I did, didn't I?" She wiped away a smear of blood then kissed his sore mouth. "I'll have to make it up to you later," she whispered, then looked around at her grinning brothers who apparently missed nothing._

"_Are you two all right?" her mother asked._

"_I am," Catherine said, as they untangled arms and legs and stood._

"_I'm good," Steve added, accepting a white handkerchief from her father. "Bryan?"_

"_Uh, yeah. I guess I should say 'thanks'. Must've miscalculated."_

"_You should thank him," his dad told him. "Couldn't you project where the tree was going to fall?"_

"_Apparently not as well as Steve did," Michael retorted for his brother. "Don't you wish you had taken the bet now?" he asked Steve who grinned back at him._

_Workers from the tree farm came to load the tree on a wagon to wrap it and take it to the truck for them. Captain Rollins pointed toward the barn. "I think I'm ready for that coffee now. Let's go." He looked at Catherine. "Honey, you escaped the football game unscathed but you should see your face now."_

_She quickly reached up and touched her cheek again, looking at her mother. "Is it that bad?"_

"_Well, let me say this," Mrs. Rollins replied. "Our Christmas photo this year is going to be in living color!"_

_They made it back home without further mishap and soon the lower tree branches had been removed and the tree was in its stand. It had taken the four men hard labor, lots of obscenities and perseverance to get it into the house and in the designated corner but the task was completed to Mrs. Rollins' specifications. _

_Three hours later, Steve had to admit, the effort had been worth it. He and Catherine were seated in one of the chairs, taking a breather. Michael and Bryan had placed the lights on the tree, arguing the entire time. Everyone had taken part in the ornament arrangement, with Catherine explaining the meaning of certain ornaments to Steve. _

_Steve remembered as a child that his mom had placed his homemade ornaments on their trees, but they hadn't had any ornaments of real meaning other than a few from his grandparents. He wondered where those ornaments were now and if his dad even bothered to put up a tree. Mary still lived with his aunt and he didn't know if she had ever made it back to Hawaii since they had been sent away. He sure hadn't seen her and they rarely talked, and because of that, seemed to have lost all touch with each other. _

_Watching this family interact, argue and fight with each other, Steve felt like he had missed something in his life and a part of him wished it were possible to have that again. But he didn't know if he and his dad could or would ever have this kind of relationship. And he didn't think he and Mary would ever have anything in common._

"_What'cha thinking about?" Catherine asked him, lying her head on his shoulder._

"_Nothing much. Just… this is nice," he admitted._

"_Yeah? I'm glad you like it," she replied. _

"_Do you miss this when you are gone?"_

_She nodded. "Yeah. Sometimes. But the best thing is always knowing it is here. And it is home. And that I can always come back."_

"_Yeah," Steve wistfully said. "That would be nice."_

"_Do you think you'll ever go back to Hawaii and live?" she asked._

_He shook his head. "I doubt it. I mean, I love it and still consider it home, but I don't feel like I have roots there anymore."_

_She nodded her understanding. "That's a shame. But maybe someday."_

"_Yeah, maybe," he agreed. "We'll see." He glanced around the transformed room. "Your mom really can decorate a lot in three hours, can't she?"_

"_She's a woman on a mission," Cath agreed with a chuckle as she looked around. A fire was crackling in the fireplace and the mantel was decorated with candles and bows amidst the branches cut from the tree. The banisters were decorated as well and Christmas cookie jars and decorations had miraculously appeared to line the tops of the kitchen cabinets. _

"_It's pretty," Steve told her. "But I have to ask," he said, pointing behind him toward the kitchen. "What's all the fascination with reindeer?"_

_She laughed. "Mom has always liked moose and reindeer and began collecting them. Dad said he's just glad she doesn't keep all that moose crap out year round." She snuggled closer to him and asked, "Are you going to kick me out of your bedroom if I show back up tonight?"_

"_Cath, come on, we can't," Steve whispered. "He will kill me."_

"_No, he won't. Mom won't let him," she added with a grin. "Mom really likes you."_

"_Yeah, but your dad is barely tolerating me in the same house with him… and you."_

"_That isn't true. I can tell… he likes you, too. Trust me."_

_Bryan came over and pushed on the chair. "Hey, Brat, what are you two whispering about over here?"_

"_None of your business so go away," Cath retorted._

"_Hey, mom, Cath told me to leave."_

"_Bryan, leave your sister and Steve alone. Now, who's ready for sandwiches?" she asked._

"_Me!" Bryan quickly headed to the kitchen forgetting about harassing his sister._

_Catherine grinned. "Are you hungry, too?" _

_Steve had his legs stretched out toward the fire. "A little, but this is too comfortable to get up," he admitted._

_She laid her head back against him once again. "Yeah, it is, isn't it? Let's just sit here for a while."_

_~~~H50~~~_

"_Catherine, have you filled Steve in on tomorrow's plans?" They had finished eating leftover turkey sandwiches with potato cakes which Steve had never eaten. He had eyed them with skepticism but after his first bite, determined that he would have to have them again. After stuffing themselves, he and Catherine had left the table and snared the overstuffed chair next to the fireplace._

"_What plans?" he asked turning to look at Cath._

"_Well, it was going to be a surprise," she said, making a face at her mother. _

_He gave her a stern look. "And you __**know**__ how much I love surprises," he muttered. "OK, give. What are we doing?" Her father chuckled and Steve glanced at him, asking, "I'm not going to like this, am I?"_

"_McGarrett, just suck it up and put on your big boy panties, you're not getting out of this."_

"_What?" Steve asked again. "What are we doing?"_

"_OK, it's like this," Cath began to explain. "When we were little, we never knew when or if __dad__ could spend Christmas with the family. That's the reason we always put up our tree at Thanksgiving, just in case he didn't make it back home in December."_

_Mrs. Rollins sat on the ottoman next to Steve's feet. "When the kids were young, we always had one present under the tree for them the next morning," she explained. "That way, James could at least see them open a gift in case he was called away. As the kids got older and left home, we still kept our tradition."_

_Catherine finished the tale. "We draw names on Saturday morning and go shopping to purchase a gift for that person. We come home and wrap them and put them under the tree. After dinner, we drink egg nog and open up the gifts."_

"_Why were you afraid to tell me that?" Steve asked. "It sounds like fun."_

"_Well," she batted her eyes at him. "I *know* just how much you love to shop," she began, and you haven't seen Chicago shopping malls at Christmas time. It could be deadly."_

"_Yeah," Bryan added. "People have been known to die out there. It's brutal."_

"_I think I can fend for myself," Steve deadpanned. _

_~~~H50~~~_

_**Saturday morning**_

"_I take it all back," Steve said while trying to maneuver through the crowd and keep hold of Catherine's hand at the same time._

_~~~H50~~~_

"Hey! Wait a minute," Danny interrupted Steve's narrative.

"What?"

"Did you," Danny began and looked around, causing Steve to also turn around and raise an eyebrow at his friend's strange behavior. "Do it?"

"Do what?"

"You know," Danny said, wiggling his eyebrows at his partner. "Do _**it**_? Right under Captain Daddy's nose?"

"Ah," Steve smiled at his answer. "You're going to spoil the story."

Danny grinned right back and motioned for him to continue.

~~~H50~~~

"_You take what back?"_

"_The fact that I can fend for myself," he admitted. "This is about as bad as a mine field."_

"_Oh, it isn't bad," she said. "I've seen a lot worse."_

"_How do you even know where to go?"_

_She spied a small space for two to sit on the edge of a fountain in the mall's rotunda. "Here, let's sit. OK, you got Bryan's name and I got Karen's. And we will all buy Betsy something, so we need to go to the toy store, too. Do you need any ideas for Bryan?"_

_Steve grinned. "No… I saw a bookstore on the corner. It should have what I want."_

"_OK, good. I noticed Karen has a new charm bracelet, so I want to look for a charm to add to it. The jewelry store is on the way to the bookstore, so we should be good. After that, let's have lunch and then we can tackle the toys."_

"_I want to get your parents something, too," Steve told her._

"_No, they are a part of the gift exchange. You don't need to do anything extra for them."_

"_But I want to," he told her. "As a thank you."_

"_OK, but they don't expect it," she replied._

"_Maybe not, but I already know what to get your dad. I might need some help with your mom, though."_

_They moved away from the fountain and went with the flow of foot traffic down one of the corridors. Cath stopped at the jewelry store, but Steve saw something at a kiosk in the middle of the mall. "Don't leave this store without me," he warned. "I'm going to look out here."_

"_Don't get lost."_

"_Just don't leave without me," he warned, grinning at her._

_He stood in front of the kiosk and smiled. He had found something perfect for Catherine's mother._

_~~~H50~~~_

Even though she had said she had already lived the story, Catherine came back outside after her bath, her wet hair pulled into two low pigtails. She carried a book with her and set it on the table before scooting a chair closer to Steve's.

When Steve paused in telling his story, she asked, "So, how far have you gotten?"

"We're ready to open the presents," Steve told her with a grin.

"Yeah, and he wouldn't tell me if you two played nookie the night before," Danny told her. "So, did you? I mean, he said you wanted to know if he would kick you out of the bedroom. Did he?"

She grinned. "Can't tell ya that, Danny!"

"Jeez, you two are killin' me here," he groused. "So finish…"

_There was a roaring fire in the fireplace and scented candles burned around the room. Betsy was seated on the floor in the middle of the room, not understanding one bit about what was going on, but she knew she liked the idea of bright packages with paper she could tear up! And the boxes… well, they were perfect for a nine-month old's fascination. Who cared that there was something inside each and every one of them!_

_After Betsy was suitably spoiled, Karen took a break and got her to bed so that the adults could begin opening gifts. Egg nog began to flow and with it, tales of Christmases past. _

"Like what," Danny asked. "Cath, give me some examples.

She smiled. "I can do that… _ One year, Bryan had received a remote control helicopter and thought it would be a great idea to land it on my head. Two hours later, Mom and Dad finally got my hair untangled from the rotors. It felt like he had pulled it out at the roots," she said.* "Then there was the Christmas when Michael and Bryan had quit believing in Santa and I was kind of waffling back and forth whether to believe or not. The boys wanted to prove to me that there was a Santa, so they climbed out their bedroom window onto a tree limb and then up onto the roof. They got a pair of Dad's boots, and stomped around, shouting "Ho Ho Ho" at midnight. Unfortunately for them, I slept straight through it, but they woke up our parents __**and**__ the neighbors on either side of us."_

"_But," she added, "When I woke up the next morning, Bryan was lying on the couch with a new cast on his wrist and an ice pack on the goose egg on his head." She smirked. "He fell out of the tree after Daddy ordered him to come down."_

"That's something one wouldn't expect on Christmas. So, what kind of presents did you get this year?" Danny asked.

"Good stuff," Steve replied.

_When they began opening their gifts, it was uncontrolled pandemonium. They opened at the same time, and then went around the room, showing what they had received and who had purchased it. _

"_Steve, this is downright cruel," Bryan said, holding up his new 'A Dummy's Guide to the Outdoors' book._

"_You need to read it," Steve replied with a grin. "But check the inside, too."_

"_Ah! Thanks, man, that's great." He had found inside a gift card to Morton's which, the previous night he had mentioned was his favorite restaurant._

_Catherine showed off the watch she had received from her mother while everyone oohed and ahhed simultaneously. And very insincerely, she thought._

"So, what did you get?" Danny asked.

"_Well," Steve said, grinning. "_Captain Rollins got my name and I was scared to open that package…

"_Steve, let's see what you have," Catherine said, trying to see inside Steve's box. He was holding a piece of paper, a slight grin on his face. "What's so funny?"_

"_Nothing," he quickly replied and held up a Ka Bar knife and case for all to see. "This is from Captain Rollins," he told them. He unsheathed it and looked at it from all angles. "Thank you, Sir."_

"_Well, I thought that might be something you can use in your line of duty," the captain replied._

"_Yes, Sir. Thank you again."_

"_So, what does the note say?" Catherine asked._

"_Oh, that… nothing."_

"Wait," Danny interrupted. "Is that the big ole honkin' knife you carry on your back?"

"One and the same," Steve told him. "It has come in handy on numerous occasions."

"Some Christmas present," Danny muttered, before changing the subject. "OK, what was the note you were reading? Was it from Cath's dad?"

"Yeah," Steve admitted…

"_Steve, what's in the note?" Cath tried again._

"_I'll tell you later," Steve hissed at her._

"_Ooh… it's a secret," Bryan sing songed._

_Steve glared at his 'friend-who-happened-to-be-a-girl' and silently pleaded with her to drop the conversation. She did so, but not before sticking her tongue out at him._

"_Later," he told her firmly._

"_Hey, there are two presents left," Michael said, scooting under the tree._

"_Ah, those are for Captain and Mrs. Rollins," Steve said. _

"_Steve!" she exclaimed. "You shouldn't have bought anything."_

"_Sure I should. It's just a small thank you for allowing me to crash your Thanksgiving weekend. I've really enjoyed myself and your food has been fantastic." He reached for the package that Catherine had wrapped and handed it to her._

"_Yeah, I can't wait to see this," Cath said. "He asked me to wrap it but wouldn't let me peek."_

_Mrs. Rollins tore open the paper and opened the box. She smiled and then held up her first gift. "Steve, thank you," she said, holding a moose candy dish, his antlers decorated with Christmas lights._

"_There's something else in there," he told her._

_She stood up and smiled, holding up a Christmas apron, showing a moose's face on the front, his antlers becoming the ties at the neck. Embroidered on it were the words: _

"_My Christmoose Apron"._

_Laughing, Mrs. Rollins leaned down and kissed his cheek. "I love it. And will think of you every time I wear it," she told him, putting it on to model. Her husband had to get her picture in it, and then took a photo of her with Steve and Catherine._

_Bryan made sucking noises until Cath threw a box at him. _

"_Ouch! He's got mom wrapped around his little finger, can't wait to see what he got Dad," he said, when Steve handed the package to his father. "Dad, let's see what you got. Maybe it's a matching apron."_

_Captain Rollin's gift had already been wrapped at the store and he held it up, hearing the slight slosh of liquid from inside the box. He grinned at Steve. "Is this what I think it is?"_

"_Well, Sir, I assure you it isn't an apron. And you said it was the best," Steve told him of the bottle of Maker's Mark that was inside the box._

"_Thank you, Lieutenant. I assure you, it won't go to waste." _

_It didn't take long before people started heading to bed, Michael and Karen first, then Mrs. Rollins. The captain, Bryan, Catherine and Steve finished up the egg nog and Bryan soon after went to bed. Captain Rollins stood and stretched, saying, "See you two in the morning. Try to get __**some**__ sleep."_

"_What'd he mean by that?" Cath mumbled when her father had left the room._

_Steve grinned at her and pulled out the note he had received. To keep her from getting it, he had sat on it for the remainder of the night._

"_What's it say?" she asked._

_He opened it up and read: _**It's been a long day and once I hit the bed, I'm guessing I won't hear anything until morning. So, if anyone knocks on your door, go ahead and open it. Merry Christmas, Lieutenant.**

"Wait," Danny stopped him. "Are you saying that Cath's father gave you _permission_ to jump in bed with his only daughter?"

"He did," Steve said. "He's a pretty cool guy."

"Any guy tries that with Gracie and he'll be in traction for the remainder of his life," Danny said.

"Well, Danny, I wasn't twelve," Cath retorted. "I knew what we were doing."

"I'd still kill'im," Danny vowed.

"Hey, look at this." Catherine reached for the book on the table and flipped through the pages to find the correct picture. "Here's a picture of all of us that Christmas. Look closely. Steve has a split lip and a bruise on his forehead, my cheek is red, Dad's nose is slightly swollen and Michael has a black eye. It's our favorite Christmas picture ever."

"That's pretty funny," Danny agreed, staring at Steve. "Man, you looked like a kid, Steve."

"No, I don't."

"Yeah, you do. Did you get carded everywhere you went?"

"No, I didn't get carded."

"So, is that all of your tale?"

"Yeah, just about. We got a call the next morning saying that our flight had been moved up, so we had to hustle to get to base and catch the plane."

"Did everyone know that you two spent the night together?"

"Boy, did they," Cath said. "I opened the door to go get my clothes and checked the hall and the coast was clear. No one was up, but I hadn't walked five feet until Bryan's door opened. He then made sure that everyone knew where I spent the night. He is really an annoying."

"So, no last minute parting shots from her dad, Steve?"

Steve shook his head. "No. He did ask me to come to his office before we left.."

"_Sit down, Steve," the captain said and Steve noted that was the first time the man had used his given name all week. It had been either 'lieutenant' or 'McGarrett' so Steve felt this might be progress. "So, did the Rollins family scare you too much this week? Or do you still wish you had remained on the duty roster?"_

"_Oh, that…" Steve's cheeks turned a bit pink at the realization that the captain knew that he had requested to be placed back on the roster. Sir, thank you for the invitation."_

"_You're welcome any time. Can I ask you a favor?"_

"_Of course, Sir."_

"_This is a father talking… not a captain… and I know you and Catherine will only see each other periodically because of your different posts, but… if there is any time she needs help, I'd like to know you will try to make sure she's taken care of."_

_Steve stood in front of the desk. "Sir, you have my promise that I will do so."_

"_I keep track of her," her father said, "a fact she hates, but I'd like to know someone else is also watching her back."_

"_You have my word."_

_Captain Rollins reached out his hand and shook Steve's. "Thank you. That's all I can ask. Now, those two women will be in tears if you two don't get on a plane soon, so I suggest we get to the airport."_

"_Yes, Sir. It's been a pleasure."_

"_Be prepared, Son. My wife is a hugger, so brace yourself."_

_~~~H50~~~_

"So, did you get hugged?"

"Did I ever. And cried on. And kissed. And slugged in the arm by Bryan."

"Sounds like my family," Danny commented. "Nice and crazy."

"They were fun," Steve admitted. He grinned at Catherine. "A little crazy, but fun."

"Hey now!" She slugged his arm as Bryan had done. "We're not crazy. Just lovable."

"Have you spent any more holidays with them after that one?" Danny asked.

Steve rubbed his arm and grinned, first at him and then at Catherine. "Oh yeah. You'll never believe Christmas of '06. But that's a story for another night. And a lot more beer."

~~~H50~~~

…_.* True story from my son-in-law landing a chopper in my daughter's hair….. I think the chopper flew out the open door that night once she became detached from the rotors!_

_**I want to thank my wonderful betas who proofed the first part of this story. Sym has read this portion but it really hasn't been proofed. I didn't even send it to Sockie since I knew she was as knee-deep in Christmas as I am. So… all mistakes are mine. I didn't even send this to them before posting. My apologies to them and also to you. But I knew if I didn't get it out today, it would set until after the holidays!**_

_**I wish each of you a wonderful holiday, whatever you may celebrate. Enjoy family and friends and please be safe. Have a wonderful, healthy and prosperous New Year, too! See you in 2014! Cokie**_


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